Alone
by Red Berin
Summary: Barbara and Ian finally make it back home after two long years. The lives they left behind have changed since then. They have to figure out how to adjust to their new lives and how to live without the mysterious man travelling around in a box.


Hello everyone! This is my first venture into _Doctor Who_ fanfiction. I'm a bit nervous about this one as the topic is something new for me. This takes place right after Barbara and Ian make it back to London in "The Planet of Decision." With all that out of the way, here you are!

* * *

"Two three's?" the conductor repeated, his face twisted in confusion. "You must be joking. Where've you been? On the Moon?"

"Er, no, but you're getting warm," Ian answered.

Barbara quickly shushed him. They looked at the puzzled conductor before breaking into laughter. The conductor watched the strange couple, shaking his head. "Have the two of you gone crazy?"

"We've definitely gone somewhere!" Ian said between laughs.

"Ian, stop!" Barbara said, still giggling. "This poor man just wants our money!"

"You two are odd," the conductor said. When the laughter showed no signs of stopping, he added, "Just keep the money." He stalked off, mumbling something about crazy people.

Barbara waited until the conductor was out of earshot to chide Ian. "Now look what you've done!"

"Me?" Ian said defensively. "You clearly can't control yourself!"

Burying her face in Ian's shoulder, Barbara continued laughing. "Oh, what's happening to us? We're absolutely giddy!"

Ian wrapped his arm around Barbara and rested his hand gently on her back. "It's good to be home," he said, grinning. He watched the city fly outside the bus. As familiar buildings passed by, Ian's bliss was ruined by practical thoughts. "Say, Barbara, where do you live?"

Barbara bolted upright, her eyes wide. "What do you think happened to our houses?" Her face fell and she crossed her arms. "Well, I guess they wouldn't be ours anymore."

"No, they wouldn't be, would they?" Ian mumbled. He could've kicked himself for saying something about it. Mere moments ago, Barbara had been the happiest he had ever seen her. He hadn't been that happy in a long time. He just had to ruin the incomparable joy of completing a two-year-long journey. "I don't think Mrs. Russell would've waited two years for me to come back."

Barbara thought about it. "It wouldn't hurt to look, I suppose." She chuckled. "Even if no one is living in our homes, I don't think our landlords would appreciate us avoiding the rent for two years."

"Certainly not," Ian said with a small laugh. As the two sat in silence, his gaze wandered to look at Barbara out of the corner of his vision. Her hands clenched each other in her lap and one thumb rubbed the other. Her face was impassive but spending two years with her taught him how to recognize the worried look in her eyes. "Do you have somewhere to go?" he asked. When she seemed confused, he added, "If you can't go back home, do you have somewhere to go?"

"Well, I'm sure my mother will be happy to see me."

Ian nodded. "Where does she live?"

"Bedfordshire."

"Ah." It was all Ian could manage to say. He wasn't sure what the feeling of dread in his stomach was but it only sunk deeper when Barbara informed him that her mother lived an hour away from London. His own parents lived just over in Islington.

A strong hand grabbed his wrist and brought him out of his thoughts. "Ian," Barbara said, almost sounding afraid. "I don't think Coal Hill would've kept our positions for two years."

"No, I guess they wouldn't have," Ian replied, running his free hand over his chin. Lost in the happiness of being home again, he hadn't given any thought to these problems that unexpectedly arose, problems he never thought of while traveling with the Doctor.

"First thing's first, I think. We need to find out if we still have places to sleep tonight," Barbara said.

While they didn't speak, the two became lost in their worries. A few were about each other. It felt strange to have concerns that didn't come from an immediate threat of death. There were no ancient races or extraterrestrial beings chasing them and they couldn't help but feel a little silly for worrying so much about the state of their homes. They had spent sleepless nights in much harsher conditions than those of 1965 London. Nights in a scorching desert without water. Ian could think of even worse nights: nights in a dank galley, nights spent in Palestine.

He glanced at Barbara and began to wonder if she was – No, that couldn't be it, could it? Her warm brown eyes suddenly met his and he quickly turned away. Maybe she was the reason. Sure, he came to care for her over the course of their adventures but did he really care about her _that_ much? His heart thudded against his chest. He didn't know how Barbara couldn't hear it.

"Are you alright, Ian? You look . . . frightened."

Ian chuckled nervously. "I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine."

The bus slowly came to a stop. Barbara and Ian slid slightly forward. "Mill Road," Barbara said, looking out the window. "That's a few blocks from Harbour Street. Let's get off here."

"You live on Harbour Street?" Ian asked.

"We'll see if I still do."

Sunlight shone brightly, temporarily blinding the pair as they stepped off the bus. Ian shielded his eyes with his hand and scanned the street. "Everything seems so normal," he mused. A small group of people walked past them. The bus drove off, leaving a cloud of black smoke behind. "We were gone for two years on some improbable journey. We faced situations that we were lucky to come out alive from. Meanwhile, London remained the same, just waiting for us to return."

"We were ready to return to our lives. She's welcoming us back," Barbara answered. She watched an airplane fly overhead. "I'm glad she hasn't changed."

The walk to Harbour Street was calming. Children played along the sidewalks, unaware of the strange adults that had just arrived. Other adults bustled about, running whatever errands were necessary. No one stopped Barbara and Ian. No one even took notice of them. Barbara recognized familiar faces along the way, but was relieved they didn't seem to recognize her; she hadn't managed to think of a decent excuse for her absence yet.

Barbara paused at a side street. "Here," she said, looking up at the street sign. "Yes, Harbour Street." She led the way, her pace slowly increasing until she was almost running down the sidewalk. "We're getting close," she panted. "It should be right –"

She stopped in front of a building that was wedged between two taller ones. "Here," she breathed. "It's right here."

"Are you sure? The place looks empty," Ian said.

The building's front door was boarded up. Only a few windows remained intact. The rest were also covered with boards.

"The apartment's gone!" Barbara exclaimed.

Ian scanned the building. "It looks like the place shut down a while ago."

"I guess I'm not staying here tonight," Barbara said, chuckling in disbelief. She walked up the steps and put her hands on the rough wood barring entrance. Images of the once-comfortable apartment flooded her mind. She could see the small, cozy apartment lobby. The building's occupants relaxed in armchairs, reading the daily paper. Now, she had no idea where her friendly neighbors had gone. The people she used to see every day were gone, just like she had disappeared two years ago. She wondered if they remembered her.

"Barbara?"

She gave a small laugh. "So London really has changed, then. I made it home but getting my life back was a little too much to ask for."

Ian joined her on the doorstep. "I'm sorry, Barbara," he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up," she sighed, glancing up at the deserted building.

"Come on now, don't say that," Ian said, giving her a small squeeze. He stepped back onto the sidewalk and held his hand out to her. Her smile did little to hide her worry but she took his hand anyways.

"Mum will be more than happy to have me stay at her home for a while," Barbara said. "We can go once we check on your home."

"An excellent plan," Ian grinned. He gently pulled Barbara in stride next to him. "Everything will work out, I know it!" He didn't let go of her hand as they walked to the end of Harbour Street.

Ian's small house was only a couple streets away from Barbara's, so they walked at a comfortable pace. He found himself wishing he had known her better before they stumbled upon the strange police box in the junkyard. They had simply been acquaintances but they came to be very close friends after living through unforgettable experiences together. He was used to living in the TARDIS with at least two others and he found the thought of being alone in his house frightening. His relationship with Barbara was evidence of his journey, evidence that he had seen every day for two years. If being alone was frightening, the possibility of Barbara, his only connection to his adventures, living an hour away was downright terrifying.

Was she really the reason, then? The reason he had been afraid?

"I never appreciated how lovely this city is. It's amazing what being away for two years can do," Barbara remarked, admiring shops and houses along the way.

Realizing he still held Barbara's hand, Ian quickly let go to point at the first thing he saw. "That's new, isn't it?" he asked, gesturing towards a storefront.

Barbara suppressed a smile. "No, I think that's been around for quite some time." She thought it best not to tell him that the store was here when she moved in.

"Ah, yes, I remember it now," Ian said. He rubbed the back of his head while hurrying by the store. Although he had passed the store, his quickened pace didn't return to normal.

The sun sank lower in the sky above, casting shades of red, orange, yellow, and purple all along the street. The brick houses had a warm glow in welcome to the weary travelers. Passersby occasionally glanced at the two companions, only seeing a man and woman who appeared happy together. No one would guess of Barbara and Ian's voyage.

It wasn't much longer before Ian stopped in front of a grey house. Stuck in between two others, the house wasn't very big. Two stories rose above the ground and were capped off with a dark red roof.

"Well, it isn't much but it's home," Ian said.

"It's lovely, Ian," Barbara replied. "Think we can get inside?"

"Dunno. We left the Doctor so fast. I didn't think to go back to the TARDIS for my keys." He patted his pockets and shrugged. He began to say something else, but abruptly turned on the spot to face the street.

"What is it?"

His shoulders slumped. "My car's gone. I was stupid to think it would still be here after two years. It must've been towed."

"Come on," Barbara said, resting a hand on Ian's shoulder. "At least your house is still here."

Ian smiled in spite of himself. "We have to see if it still belongs to me."

The small iron gate swung open with ease. Ian held his breath as he approached the front door. He clutched the door knob and turned it.

The door opened, to both of their surprise. They were greeted with a small hallway, lit only by the sunset shining through the door. The entry looked like it had been undisturbed for a while. Thick layers of dust had settled on the minimal furniture.

"What's that?" Ian asked. He had noticed a piece of paper resting on a table between two chairs. When he picked it up, dust jumped into the air and floated in the orange light from outside. He scanned the paper and said, "It's a note from my brother."

"What does it say?"

"Close the door, please," Ian said. He reached above the table and pulled a chain, illuminating the room in a less natural light. After he had read the letter, he clutched it to his chest. "God bless my brother."

Barbara stood next to him and took the letter from Ian's outstretched hand. The letter revealed how Ian's brother had been paying the rent during Ian's absence. The brother wrote that he knew Ian would come back someday and that it would be terrible to not have a home to stay in. Barbara looked up from the letter to see Ian beaming at her.

"That's my little brother!" Ian said, taking back the letter. "He kept the house for me!"

"It's wonderful, Ian!" Barbara grinned, clenching her hands under her chin.

"Now we just need to go back to Coal Hill and see if –"

He stopped midsentence. The smile faded from his face. Barbara didn't have a home. He could go back to Coal Hill but there was no "we" if she couldn't live in London. The feeling of dread began to creep up on him once more.

"Ian?"

Stepping forward, he held her clasped hands in his. He couldn't deny it now. Before, he could attribute it to coming back home after two years. He could blame it on his concern for a close friend. Now, with her standing in his home, the real reason for his fear was evident and his other excuses fell short. If she left to live with her mother, he would be alone. This fear was the same he had felt when he was alone in Rome and Palestine. It was the fear of losing her.

She watched him, her eyes wide with concern. He stared at his hands on hers, feeling no desire to remove them. "Barbara," he said, almost whispering, "Will you stay here with me?"

Her mouth dropped open. She tried to speak, but couldn't form a coherent the words.

"Look, I know it's sudden and all but I don't want to be alone, not after spending two years with you." His words were faster, more frantic, "The nights without you in Rome and Palestine were awful. I didn't know if you were alright; I didn't even know if you were alive. I don't want to feel that way."

Barbara was caught off guard. She witnessed Ian's protective side firsthand, but never thought it was connected to deeper feelings for her. Slowly, she lowered her lips to his hands and kissed them. A range of emotions flooded inside her: confusion, surprise, happiness, relief. Before the harsher feelings of doubt and worry could invade, she lifted her head and said, "I'll stay."

The two spent the rest of the night making dinner and volunteering to sleep on the couch. Barbara won the argument. She had lain on the couch and was about to pull a blanket over herself when her mind formed a plan. Chuckling, she got back up to her feet. She folded the blanket and placed it on the back of the couch. Her idea led her up the creaky stairs and to Ian's bedroom. The door was open, so she slipped in without a sound.

Ian grunted as she sat on the bed. He rolled onto his back without waking up. Barbara softly ran her fingers against his cheek. This was real. They really had made it home. She crawled underneath the covers and lay next to him. Her arm rested comfortably across his chest and she drifted to sleep, grateful that she wasn't alone.

* * *

A little bit more background if you're interested. The very first two seasons of _Doctor Who_ are also the only two seasons that I've watched. I think I might have needed to write this for closure, even if I'm in for another 48 years of companions leaving. Now I can go on to the next season!

Thank you for reading!


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